Creative Staff
Story/Art: Kenjiro Hata
Translation/Adaptation: John Werry
What They Say
Out of his ever-expanding harem of love interests, Hayate has finally confessed his feelings for one special girl. But if you think it’s time to cue up the happy ending, you haven’t read the previous 22 volumes. Instead, our hero faces heartbreak, emotional turmoil, and a battle with a skeleton hand. This is why most protagonists of romantic-comedy manga keep their feelings to themselves.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Encouraged by Hinagiku (and totally missing her tears as she did so), Hayate goes back to the garden where he saw Athena in order to talk with her and explain how he feels. When he arrives he finds that the locked gate suddenly swings open as if inviting him in- but rather than his cherished Ah-tan he discovers that her butler Makina is waiting and has some questions for Hayate as Athena had been acting strange since Hayate bumped into her and now her loyal retainer wants answers. As Athena dreams of the past inside her home clues are given as to why she Nagi’s stone while Hayate finds himself locked up with an opponent far stronger and faster than any he has met before and this imbalance may find the series having to find a new title as Makina isn’t pulling any punches and he has no objection to killing the butler that has sent his master into emotional chaos.
While Hayate physically battles, Hinagiku battles her own heart as she wonders if she did the right thing in encouraging Hayate to talk to Athena and finds herself just as trapped as the combat butler with an opponent she can’t beat until Miki manages to break her out of her thoughts (though in a lewd enough way that Hinagiku isn’t exactly going to be jumping to thank her). At the same time a losing consciousness Hayate finds he is given a reprieve of his own as Athena agrees to let him into her residence and treats his wounds, but despite- or perhaps because of- the memories of the past his presence brings back Athena finds herself unable to sit and talk with him and instead she flees into the depths of her enormous house as Hayate tries to find her.
It might have turned out for the better for all involved though if Hayate hadn’t caught up with Athena as when he does Athena tells him she needs Nagi’s King’s jewel and as he watches a change comes over her. Suddenly Hayate discovers that Athena has an unknown and unbelievable power as well watching her display a completely different personality and that he is on the defensive against a foe he couldn’t fight back against even if he wanted to. Things don’t get any better after he is removed from the situation thanks to the timely arrival of a friend when that same savior explains just how in danger the Athena Hayate remembers may be and that the only way to save her is by doing the only thing Hayate cannot do- either give Athena the King’s jewel or destroy it which will shatter his relationship with Nagi as well as leave her without a home. With the girl he has loved for years and who helped make him the man he is today on the one hand and the girl who helped save his life a year ago and gave him a new home on the other is Hayate about to find himself between a King’s stone and a hard place?
This volume of Hayate the Combat Butler pays off in abundance the previous few volumes more than a little ham fisted efforts in foreshadowing and heavily stressing just how dependant Nagi is on Hayate keeping the stone she gave him which is then contrasted with a deep need by the girl Hayate has long loved desperate need for that same item. It is often said that the heart of drama is conflict and it is almost impossible to get much more conflict than putting Hayate in the position of having to decide which of the girls that he cares for desperately get their needed wish and which has their life altered irreparably by the consequences of his choice as well as what that would mean for Hayate’s relationship with whichever girl he decides he cannot help.
The volume also spends time with some of the girls in Hayate’s life starting with Hinagiku as she tries to cope with her feelings of heartbreak but it also shows a sensitive side to Nagi which shows that despite her often capricious behavior she is capable of thinking of what Hayate might need in terms of space to think and seeds are sown of just what the next volume may bring in terms of one of two girl’s lives becoming chaos. The volume also answers more than a few questions about one character and their odd manner of showing up while placing them off balance as well when that character discovers just how powerful Athena really is…and of course Hayate has one more straw placed on his already heavily laden shoulders as he discovers that he may have more to do with Athena’s current state than he ever could have dreamed. The action and heartbreak accelerate in the current volume and it is clear something must happen soon as the current storyline is rapidly approaching a critical speed.
In Summary
Hayate’s golden vacation may turn nightmare as his brush with his childhood friend who he has loved unknowingly since they separated sets in motion something remarkably dark that places him between her and Nagi, the girl who saved Hayate’s life and gave him access to a new one he never could have dreamt of before. As the momentum speeds up Hayate finds he is unable to physically compete with Athena’s new butler but it is the psychological strain that may do him in as he discovers some of what has happened to Athena since they last met and how that now threatens Nagi whom Hayate holds dear as well. The pieces that have been put into place since the Greek trip started are now moving and it may be that at least one- if not more- of the unwitting participants may pay a heavy cost in this desperate game.
Content Grade: A
Art Grade: B
Packaging Grade: B+
Text/Translation Grade: B
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Viz Media
Release Date: February 11th, 2014
MSRP: $9.99
